Painted sweetlips - 114e HK Reef Fish

Painted sweetlips

Characteristics

Observed to occur singly, in pairs or small groups.
A curious species, can occasionally be closely approached.
Feeds on benthic molluscs and small fishes.
Elsewhere reported to live up to 13 years.
Study in the Arabian Gulf reported that female and male mature at 35.7 cm (Fork Length) and 26.7 cm (Fork Length) respectively.

Description

Body colour and pattern varies according to different life stages. Adult:

Body colour bluish-grey to plain silvery-grey
Scattered with yellow to golden spots on head and over body.

Intermediate stage

Body silvery grey
Dark horizontal bands gradually broken up
Orange to brownish spots over body and head that disappear with growth.

Juvenile

Head and belly are yellowish
Body has a series of dark and white horizontal bands.

Common Name: Common thick-lipped grunt, Painted sweetlips

Family Common Name: Sweetlips

Family: Haemulidae

Scientific Name: Diagramma pictum___(Thunberg, 1792)

Genus: Diagramma

Maximum Length: 100 cm (Fork Length)

Painted sweetlips